Social Media Policy

Using Farset Lab’s social media channels — appropriate conduct

1. The Trustees are responsible for setting up and managing Farset Lab’s social media channels. Only those authorised to do so by the Trustees will have access to these accounts.

2. Be an ambassador for our brand. Staff should ensure they reflect Farset Lab values in what they post and use our tone of voice. Our brand guidelines set out our tone of voice that all staff should refer to when posting content on Farset Lab’s social media channels.

3. Make sure that all social media content has a purpose and a benefit for Farset Lab, and accurately reflects Farset Lab’s agreed position.

4. Bring value to our audience(s). Answer their questions, help and engage with them

5. Take care with the presentation of content. Make sure that there are no typos, misspellings or grammatical errors. Also check the quality of images.

6. Always pause and think before posting. That said, reply to comments in a timely manner, when a response is appropriate.

7. Staff shouldn’t post content about members or service users without their express permission. If staff are sharing information about supporters, members or third party organisations, this content should be clearly labelled so our audiences know it has not come directly from Farset Labs. If using interviews, videos or photos that clearly identify a child or young person, staff must ensure they have the consent of a parent or guardian before using them on social media.

8. Always check facts. Staff should not automatically assume that material is accurate and should take reasonable steps where necessary to seek verification, for example, by checking data/statistics and being wary of photo manipulation.

9. Be honest. Say what you know to be true or have a good source for. If you’ve made a mistake, don’t be afraid to admit it.

10. Staff should refrain from offering personal opinions via Farset Lab’s social media accounts, either directly by commenting or indirectly by ‘liking’, ‘sharing’ or ‘retweeting’. If you are in doubt about Farset Lab’s position on a particular issue, please speak to The Board of Trustees.

11. It is vital that Farset Lab does not encourage others to risk their personal safety or that of others, to gather materials. For example, a video of a stunt.

12. Staff should not encourage people to break the law to supply material for social media, such as using unauthorised video footage. All relevant rights for usage must be obtained before publishing material.

13. Staff should not set up other Facebook groups or pages, Twitter accounts or any other social media channels on behalf of Farset Lab. This could confuse messaging and brand awareness. By having official social media accounts in place, the [team name] can ensure consistency of the brand and focus on building a strong following.

14. Farset Labs is not a political organisation and does not hold a view on party politics or have any affiliation with or links to political parties. We have every right to express views on policy, including the policies of parties, but we can’t tell people how to vote.

15. If a complaint is made on Farset Lab’s social media channels, staff should seek advice from the Board of Trustees before responding. If they are not available, then staff should speak to the Chairperson directly.

16. Sometimes issues can arise on social media which can escalate into a crisis situation because they are sensitive or risk serious damage to the charity’s reputation. The nature of social media means that complaints are visible and can escalate quickly. Not acting can be detrimental to the charity.

The Secretary will regularly monitor our social media spaces for mentions of Farset Lab so we can catch any issues or problems early.

If any members become aware of any comments online that they think have the potential to escalate into a crisis, whether on Farset Lab’s social media channels or elsewhere, they should speak to the Trustees immediately.

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